Seeing the silky cobwebs on my blog, it’s time for some quick links!

Serious Stuff:

US Debt in physical $100 bills. An amazing visualization. It is possible that you will freak out on seeing this… especially if you are a US resident.



Read at: http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/

Interesting Stuff:

The latest Idea 3G advert that is grabbing eyeballs through its tongue in cheek humour!

LOL Stuff:

An ode to nice guys!
Excerpt:
“This is a tribute to the nice guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes guys are, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who hold open doors and give reassuring pats on the back and sit patiently outside the changing room at department stores. This is in honor of the guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/beautiful/smart/funny/sexy their female friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know most girls need that litany of support. This is in honor of the guys with open minds, with laid-back attitudes, with honest concern. This is in honor of the guys who respect a girl’s every facet, from her privacy to her theology to her clothing style.”

Read more at:http://www.stwing.upenn.edu/~jenf/writing/rant04.html

1. Exercise daily.

2. Get serious about gratitude.

3. See your work as a craft.

4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.

5. Keep a journal.

6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.

7. Plan a schedule for your week.

8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.

9. Say no to distractions.

10. Drink a lot of water.

11. Improve your work every single day.

12. Get a mentor.

13. Hire a coach.

14. Get up at 5 am each day.

15. Eat less food.

16. Find more heroes.

17. Be a hero to someone.

18. Smile at strangers.

19. Be the most ethical person you know.

20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.

21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.

22. Save 10% of your income each month.

23. Spend time at art galleries.

24. Walk in the woods.

25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.

26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.

27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.

28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.

29. Have 5 great friends.

30. Become stunningly polite.

31. Unplug your TV.

32. Sell your TV.

33. Read daily.

34. Avoid the news.

35. Be content with what you have.

36. Pursue your dreams.

37. Be authentic.

38. Be passionate.

39. Say sorry when you know you should.

40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.

41. Have a vision for your life.

42. Know your strengths.

43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.

44. Be patient.

45. Don’t give up.

46. Clean up your messes.

47. Use impeccable words.

48. Travel more.

49. Read “As You Think”.

50. Honor your parents.

51. Tip taxi drivers well.

52. Be a great teammate.

53. Give no energy to critics.

54. Spend time in the mountains.

55. Know your top 5 values.

56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.

57. Innovate and iterate.

58. Speak less. Listen more.

59. Be the best person you know.

60. Make your life matter.

An interesting read!

It all started when Jet Airlines innocently put up this billboard title: “We’ve Changed”.

Kingfisher Airlines saw an opportunity and took credit for making them change.

If that wasn’t enough, Go Airlines decided to cash in on the success of the first two billboards and create a broader awareness of the campaign.

There could be a message in this… don’t leave yourself open to “ambush advertising”! Not only did Go get the last word… but they belittled and outwitted the message of the other two airlines.

Now it is time to take it to the next level! Are you ready for the roller coaster ride? Read on to know how…

Quoted below is the application release mail by Microsoft:

Hi,

As many of you are aware, we have collaborated with Yuva Unstoppable to enable you, our Student Partners, to make a positive social impact in the communities around you. The Yuva Unstoppable – Microsoft Digital Literacy Initiative is a social revolution that aims to bring together and empower people with technical competencies to impart the power of knowledge to the under-privileged strata of society.

Under this project, MSPs will lead groups (like Student Tech Clubs) towards social responsibility and help them become agents of positive change by teaching underprivileged students and enhancing English & Digital Literacy.

We encourage MSPs across India to contribute to the Digital Literacy drive:  http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/Citizenship/giving/programs/UP/digitalliteracy/default.mspx

The curriculum is currently available in various languages used in India like Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil & Urdu.

Here’s what Pratima Amonkar, Director Academia, Microsoft India has to say:

“I urge each one of you, our Student Partners, to impact the lives of those less fortunate than yourselves, with your biggest strength – your knowledge of technology. Transform India with the power of digital literacy!”

If you have the passion & commitment to make a difference in this area & would like to facilitate this initiative, use the attached template to send your application to yuvamsp@yuvaunstoppable.org by 20^th Aug 2010.

Regards,

MSP India Team

You can find the application in your @student-partners.com mailbox.

In case you havn’t received it yet, you can download the form here (skydrive), fill it up and mail it back to:

yuvamsp@yuvaunstoppable.org and studpart@microsoft.com

with “Yuva Unstoppable – Microsoft Digital Literacy initiative” (without quotes) in the subject line.

Hope you have an amazing journey with us.

Know your real competitors

Often when talking to a new client we’ll ask them to identify five of their most direct competitors.

The truth is we already know the answer. We’ve done our research, now we want to see if they’ve done theirs.

It always surprises me when business owners don’t have a firm grasp on who their competitors really are. It’s a lot harder to compete when you start playing on the wrong field.

Your competitors are who your customers would give their sale to if you weren’t around. That means you may have different competitors now that you’re online and not just a brick and mortar. It also means that just because YOU think you’re competing with Amazon, doesn’t mean you really are if your customers wouldn’t put you two together. That may not be how THEY see you. That’s what you need to know and understand- who do your customers think you’re competing with?

Know your ‘other’ competitors

Your other competitors are the ones you create yourself. They are the things/people/sites that take you away from your business and eat your time.

It’s Twitter. It’s Facebook. It’s industry drama. It’s the ringing phone and the binging email. It’s your self-doubt. It’s your sending five emails to get approval you didn’t need. It’s the really good show on TV. It’s your woulda, coulda, shoulda. It’s your fear of being successful.

These are all competitors to your business. Know that they exist and then work to keep them under control.

Know your team

Very few people survive on the Web alone. Instead, they surround themselves with a team of people, with each player attaching more value.

Knowing and being able to rely on your team helps you to compete better and gives you allies you can go to when you need someone to help you make a play. It also gives you people you know you can trust. That tends to be important in business and on the Web.

Know, for certain, who is on your team and who is simply lingering by the benches looking for information or to dethrone you.

I know that I’ve benefited from creating a strong Web team. I have the people I work with on a daily basis (Rae, Rhea, and Dawn), but I also have the people I can run side plays when one of us needs a push or if someone’s having a hard time moving the ball down the line.

I know certain bloggers I can call up when things get dry and we want to cause some trouble. I know who to go to for assistance on a big play. And I know who has my back when I need someone to fill in.

Building yourself a Web team helps you support what your business is doing

Know your strengths

My strength in sports was always my speed. I was simply head and shoulders faster than anyone near me and, because of that, I could help make things happen even if I didn’t have the best aim when kicking a ball.

In business, my strength comes from my words. I use them to create impact.

When we started Outspoken Media in a recession (it’s a good story) we trusted it because Rhea, Rae and myself all knew our individual strengths and we knew how those strengths could be used together to kick ass as a team. And to date, we’ve been right.

As a business and as an individual, you should know your strengths and create your strategy around them. There are certain things about you that make you uniquely qualified to do what you do (and if not, maybe you should be doing something else). That’s your point of difference, it’s your secret weapon, and it’s what you should be using to compete.

Make note of your strengths and figure out how they can be incorporated into your business.

Know when to make a play

Business is sport, but it shouldn’t be a war. That means knowing the right time to make a play and when to sit out and save everyone from the bloodbath.

Taking every shot that comes your way is going to drain resources, exhaust you and probably make you look a little desperate. While keeping your eyes open, listening and knowing when to strike is going to help you capitalize when opportunities expose themselves.

Make a play when a competitor has opened a door, when there’s a chance to create leadership through action or when you’re following a noble purpose. Sit out when you risk burning a bridge, damaging your brand, and when “winning” won’t aid your long term objectives.  Learn to tell the difference.

Seventeen months into Outspoken Media, I’m still learning how to be a confident businesswoman and entrepreneur.  But one thing I’ve already learned how to do is smell blood and compete.  I can sum up my competitors, anticipate their moves, and I refuse to let anyone get the better of me.  It drives me to be better, to always be on, and to strike when I feel it in my gut.

SPJIMR:

Me:

The day before

The D-Day

4x Marketing (includes me)

2x Finance

1x IT Management

Work Ex: 4

No Work Ex: 3

Males: 2

Females: 5 (gender inequality at its peak!!!)

3 from Ahmedabad (Strange coincidence)

Encounter # 1

Was easy to answer. Some people had quite clearly ratto-fied the answers and went on for much more than 2 mins (3-4 mins) ( ). Came to know the the group was more diverse than I assumed. Looked like it would be fun.

I explained my past work in event management and social sector and correlated it with my future goals with some flashy description like : “I will do a rewind and a Fast forward”

Encounter # 1 : The Killing

The Psycho-metric test

Encounter # 2

2x Marketing (includes me)

2x Finance

1x IT Management

1x Operations Management

Work Ex: 5

No Work Ex: 1 (poor me.. alone here)

Males: 5

Females: 1 (gender inequality at its peak… but in the opposite way!!!)

I could not help but notice that the panel was happy.

The End

I got positive reviews for my performance and people found it hard to believe that I don’t have work ex.( something to be happy about )

Lets hope all turns out to be super duper good…

You, the diverse crowd coupled with enthusiasm made it an amazing experience.

Also embedded below is the presentation itself (as i promised… )

I am starting this thread specially for your feedback, queries, love, hate (!) or to share anything you have in your mind.

Feel free to freely comment